Tuesday, November 30, 2010

NaBloPoMo

It's the end of November!  And though the posts weren't super stellar (too many pictures) I made it to the end.  And the best thing about this month is that it is also NoNoPneumoMo...No November Pneumonia Month.  The first November in three years that Ella hasn't had pneumonia!

Monday, November 29, 2010



-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Are we done yet?

It was a long trip, very stressful.  I'm glad to be home, but we got in at 10 last night and at two o'clock I woke up with a pounding headache and sore throat.  Looks like all the stress plus crappy processed travel foods has resulted in one sick mama.  If only I had time to be sick this week: Gingerbread house to prep for preschool, pilates, hosting a dinner, Tom has a night meeting....on and on it goes!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Ella and her friend Lucka at the Hawkeye women's basketball game, the day before Luci went back home to Slovenia.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Friday, November 26, 2010



-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!








-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Fall Table Runner

The big girls helped me cut out the acorns and leaves, and then I traced all their hands.  It went off to Grandma's house yesterday and she told me it arrived today.  A little bit of us for Thanksgiving since we'll be at the other Grandma's this year.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Grrr...

I know that I have things that I want to write about, and little things that I want to write down and remember, but I am finding november a little tedious these days and might just give up the NaBloPoMo efforts.  If I don't then expect lots of picture posts as Thanksgiving rolls on through.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

GInger Snappish

Yesterday Ella requested Ginger Snappish tea...which does indeed taste like gingerbread cookies.  Unfortunately that flavor carries a strong butter taste, which I'm not sure I can appreciate in a cup of tea.
After dinner we played gameshow...guessing dinosaur names or random names based in descriptions Kate gave us...like Umbrella Fish House.  Lots of silliness, but all the prizes were backrubs!  So much fun.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Yummy season

Tonight we made "Scrabble" (Tom's family chex mix, which was initially called Scramble until people discovered they'd been calling it the wrong thing for 40 years).  It is supposed to be a first snow tradition in our house but since we are in charge of treats for church tomorrow, and I had all the supplies, we made it today.
We also made Maple-Chipotle glazed nuts....yum!  I'm trying not to eat the whole pan before they actually cool.  I quadrupled this recipe:
http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20427455,00.html

Friday, November 19, 2010

Ella was the photographer snapping cute shots of her mommy and her sisters.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Thursday, November 18, 2010

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the Concordian Sisters, though in my household we haven't all quite come to the same conclusion regarding family size I personally find their side of the argument the more convincing one.  (Children are a blessing, one does not decline God's blessings, although this is not the same as the most questionable Quiverfull movement that advocates having as many children as possible.)
I thought of them when I read this article regarding how divorce is skyrocketing in China; marital troubles seem to be excessively prevalent in the " '80's Generation" of government mandated single children.  Having never had to live with anyone remotely their own age they find it impossible to live in a household that does not cater to or revolve solely around them.  Yet another argument for a larger family size (God willing, of course!)

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

New Dress!

Last Friday I spent some time at Common Threads for my first ever longarm quilting machine rental.  I did a couple of table runners and then spent the remainder of my (child free) time browsing.  I got a pattern from my mother-in-law awhile back for a beach dress that was dated 1963...and found some fabric that seemed to fit the bill while I was killing time in the shop.  Friday night I cut out the pieces (only two, plus a small facing for the frint/back collar areas!) and Saturday I put it together.  Even for a loose-fitting dress it was a bit too billowy, so I added a black elastic belt that in it's former life helped to hold my infant car seat onto it's not quite compatible stroller.  Sunday I wore it to church (Though I didn't get around to taking pictures until today):

And because I couldn't get my 4 year old to take a decent full shot, here are my shoes (because I love them so much):

(I'm linking this to Girls Gone Child's Good Wear post for this week.)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

"I two!"



-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Monday, November 15, 2010

Sad Käthe

...poor thing has fluid in her ear and it's really hurting tonight.  The kid has only had one infection in her lifetime, so a record of one round of abx in 4.5 years is great.  She is still prone to fluid though, and that hurts just the same.  I will be really frustrated if we have to get tubes for a kid who never gets sick!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Helping me post is boring....


...but at least the printer seems comfy.
We are hosting our first sleepover here tonight...Ella's been to several but we've never had anyone over here.  They are off at the movie store picking out something to watch; hopefully a quiet room and a calm movie after an afternoon of swimming will put everyone to sleep!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Deer season

My dad called tonight to tell me that today he shot the biggest deer he's ever seen - 11 points.  It's about time...my mom got a big buck years ago, but as hunters for food rather than sport the antlers have never been a priority.  But I know that he's always hoped to get a big one.  I'm happy he got the chance!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Thursday, November 11, 2010

A few weeks ago I took a longarm quilting class at the local quilt shoppe - tomorrow is my first go round at using the machines. I have a practice piece and a couple of table runners that I'd like to give as gifts, so hopefully things go smoothly. Ordinarily I would be nervous about using a nearly $20,000 sewing machine on my own for the first time, but if working with FPLC taught me anything it was how to work expensive equipment without freaking out. Plus I'm not using precious samples that took weeks to prepare, nor is the equipment subject to harassment by various solutions (also made by me) whose pH fluctuations may muck the whole thing up. Fabric, needle, thread....not nearly so scary.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Make new friends, but keep the old

Our dear friends from Slovenia are back in town for a visit, having returned to Slovenia last year after 10 years in Iowa. It was so great to have them over for dinner and hanging out this afternoon. I hadn't realized just how much I missed them until I was hugging everyone and crying! We will have to start planning a trip to Europe to see them and Aunt Beth in the next few years.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

I wish had time for a more substantial post, but this week has me hosting 2 dinners for friends and sleepover for Ella, attending or chauffering to Pilates, Girl Scouts, a 2nd grade choir concert and an open house. Tomorrow is Kate's preschool treat day and for perhaps the first time ever we are doing a pretty lame pre-packaged treat (healthy (dye-free, lower sugar) yogurt tubes and juice). I was going to bake, but one of the cats has had a puke fest today, which means there is carpet to shampoo and a trip down to the vet tomorrow to pick up de-wormer. Ugh. Next week has to be less full, right?

Monday, November 08, 2010

Sunday, November 07, 2010

My woodland fairy princess.


A cold little fairy.


And there was also Cinderella, but I seem to be lacking in pictures of her!  Time to email grandma(s) and see if one of them has some.


Saturday, November 06, 2010

Block Party

Our first ever attempt at a block party is this afternoon...Everyone on the street moved in within the past year (new neighborhood) so no one really knows anyone else.  Hopefully the chilly, windy day won't deter anyone...next year we'll need to be on the ball a bit more and have it about a month earlier.

Friday, November 05, 2010

Thea-isms

I wrote this yesterday, since I thought a practice mobile post was probably pretty lame to count as a post for the day.  (Not that this little blurb is all that deep or thought provoking) Turns out this one didn't publish...probably user error.  So I am going to let it count as today's post.  30 posts for NaBloPoMo...no one said that they had to be good!

Just a couple of little cute things:
Today I was holding her as I was making dinner and she looked into the pot of chicken noodle soup..."I like-a noodles!" she exclaimed.  After dinner when I told her she could have ice cream she looked and me and said. "Really?" in the most incredulous voice, so cute.
And yesterday when she woke up from her nap and was scared and sad I asked if she wanted to nursie..."Makes me feel better" she told me.  (Not the first time she has told me that nursing makes her "feel better" but it melts my heart just the same!)

Thursday, November 04, 2010

Trying again

I tried a mobile post yesterday but got the address wrong...let's see if I can get it through today!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Manic Wednesday

Wednesdays (and Mondays and Fridays, to a lesser extent) are getting crazy.  We have started carpooling on preschool mornings, which I love, because less driving and more days when I don't have to go anywhere are great.  But it means that on the days that I drive I need to have everyone ready to go and out the door at 8 am.  Lately Käthe has been in a foul mood in the mornings, making everything into a struggle.
Today was Ella to school, pick up kiddo for carpool, back home to get Thea dressed and throw in a load of laundry.  Down to preschool for drop off at 9, then groceries until 10:30...pause to nurse Thea...back home by 11.  Swap laundry to dryer, put away groceries, start a short blog post, and back to preschool for pickup at noon.  Home again for half an hour, then it's Ella's early out day, so back to her school by 1:00.  Home again for lunch, homework, naps, make dinner....and Tom and Thea are off to music class at 6.  The longest day of my week that flies by  in a blur because I never sit down!

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Today I am...

...chasing aspirin with coffee in hopes of getting rid of this headache.
...playing scheduling roulette, hoping that Käthe's 2:20 physician appointment is finished by 2:55, so I can make it to school to pick up Ella.
...wishing that I could remember how to email blog posts from my phone, but I can never remember the email address.
...avoiding putting Thea down for a nap, because it is so stinking hard to get out of bed after she falls asleep. And then there's that whole leaving in an hour thing.
...hoping that we all feel better tomorrow!


The birthday girl and her sisters.

Monday, November 01, 2010

NaBloPoMo Again

Also known as the one month where my blog actually exists...when I look back it seems like we only do anything in November, and just hibernate like bears the rest of the year. I know that this year I can post from the phone, which will hopefully make it a bit easier. I have a hard time with pictures, especially...to get them off of the camera and onto the computer and then uploaded is just too time consuming.
Today is Thea's second birthday. We celebrated yesterday with cake and presents followed by trick-or-treating. Might as well get the whole sugar rush in a single day. This years costumes included A woodland Fairy, Cinderella, and a little fairy princess. Pictures forthcoming.